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Journal Article

Title

Cognitive rehabilitation in the elderly: effects on strategic behavior in relation to goal management

Journal Name

Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society

Abstract

Executive functions are highly sensitive to the effects of aging and other conditions affecting frontal lobe function. Yet there are few validated interventions specifically designed to address executive functions, and, to our knowledge, none validated in a healthy aging sample. As part of a large-scale cognitive rehabilitation randomized trial in 49 healthy older adults, a modified Goal Management Training program was included to address the real-life deficits caused by executive dysfunction. This program emphasized periodic suspension of ongoing activity to establish goal hierarchies and monitor behavioral output. Tabletop simulated real life tasks (SRLTs) were developed to measure the processes targeted by this intervention. Participants were randomized to two groups, one of which received the intervention immediately and the other of which was wait-listed prior to rehabilitation. Results indicated improvements in SRLT performance and self-rated executive deficits coinciding with the training in both groups. These gains were maintained at long-term follow-up. Future research will assess the specificity of these effects in patient groups.

Volume

13 (1)

Year

2007

Pages

143-152

Authors

Levine B., Stuss D.T., Winocur G., Binns M.A., Fahy L., Mandic M., Bridges K. & Robertson I.H.

More Information

Author Keywords: neuropsychology; geriatric assessment; aging; frontal lobe; short-term memory; intention KeyWords Plus: TRAUMATIC BRAIN-INJURY; ECOLOGICAL VALIDITY; EXECUTIVE FUNCTION; FRONTAL LOBES; DAMAGE; LESIONS; PERFORMANCE; VALIDATION; DEFICITS Publisher: CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESS, 32 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS, NEW YORK, NY 10013-2473 USA Subject Category: Clinical Neurology; Neurosciences; Psychiatry; Psychology IDS Number: 127PO ISSN: 1355-6177 DOI: 10.1017/S1355617707070178

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